Helicopter goes down in Hudson River near Midtown Manhattan

"The recovery of a Bell helicopter that crashed in New York's Hudson River Wednesday, revealed the helicopter was substantially damaged, as such, NTSB will investigate the event as an accident", the agency said via Twitter.

Video of the crash, recorded by Ashton Byrd, shows the aircraft descending toward the water with its nose down and its rotors moving.

Another person, who was on the helipad at the time of the crash, also suffered non-life-threatening injuries from debris dislodged in the crash, but both people are doing fine now, as they reportedly refused medical attention.

The pilot, who was not immediately identified by authorities, quickly scrambled on to the aircraft's pontoons.

Video footage from hovering TV news helicopters taken in the aftermath of the crash showed the helicopter capsized and mostly beneath the water.

According the helicopter's operator, the chopper was re-positioning and was not on a flight at the time.

A ferry was carrying commuters from West 39th Street in Manhattan to 14th Street in Hoboken when Capt. Adam Sciaino saw the helicopter go down, according to NY Waterway.

"It was just instinct". "We're right here. Edwin Montoya is an outstanding deckhand". And it was pulled to the shore shortly after the crash. "The pilot sustained a minor injury to his hand as a result of the landing".

Blade called the landing "safe", with the helicopter coming down on floats near the heliport.

The pilot landed on the river, exited the helicopter, and was rescued by a NY Waterway ferry crew aboard the Gov. Thomas Kean ship. Several NYPD and FDNY boats were alongside the helicopter. The helicopter appears to level out and water sprays as the craft goes down. We verified that the emergency fuel was shut off, and secured the helicopter using ropes to the bulkhead and an FDNY Marine unit.